Pulmonary Hypertension Unit

National Pulmonary Hypertension Unit Ireland

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Team Phenomenal Hope UK & Ireland

We want to offer our congratulations and gratitude to all who participated in the 3 day endurance cycle from Sheffield to London marking PH Awareness week (22nd to 28th October). PHA Ireland was ably represented by Prof. Sean Gaine who joined UK colleagues from different medical disciplines related to Pulmonary Hypertension on this event combining physical endurance with speaking events and meetings designed at raising the public profile of Pulmonary Hypertension awareness. Prof. Gaine set out his motivation for participating with the following comments ………. [Read More]

 

Schoolmates reunite – Sonia O’Sullivan supports PH awareness

On Monday 6th November two schoolmates from the 1980’s reunited at Cobh Leisure Centre in Cork in the cause of PH awareness. One, Sonia O’Sullivan, among Ireland’s foremost sporting personalities – an Olympian and a World Champion who battled her way to the top of her discipline – and Christine Coakley who battles every day with Pulmonary Hypertension and all the challenges it brings to those who suffer from it. For Sonia, breathlessness was an accompaniment for her success, for Christine it is a daily battle and way of life. We were therefore so very grateful to Sonia for recognising the poignancy of the circumstances of this reunion and taking the time to support the cause of PH awareness.

Follow the image link below to see a short video of the event as broadcast on the Irish Examiner website, bringing the much needed publicity the event was designed to accomplish.

Read  the full article at this link

 

PH Awareness the winner as PHA Ireland comes 1st!

 

We’re delighted to report that at the PHA European AGM in Barcelona, PHA Ireland have won 1st prize for the best PH Awareness event for 2017. This of course was for the memorable and awe inspiring efforts of Irish Naval Service 40th Potential NCO’s Class who adopted us as their chosen charity for their course year. Thirty eight countries entered the competition. Photographed above are Christine Coakley & Susan Finn Sheehan accepting the prize money cheque for €3K. Congratulations to Christine and Susan for all their efforts and of course yet again our sincere and heartfelt thanks to Irish Naval Service 40th Potential NCO course. Be sure to look down our Facebook timeline to appreciate all their efforts on our behalf for PH awareness this summer!

The Big Guns come out in support of PH Awareness 2017

 

It’s time to bring the big gun(s) out in support of Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness and the Association. The 40th Potential NCOs’ class of the Irish Naval Service are preparing for the next phase of their career patrolling and protecting our shoreline, mounting search and rescue at home and abroad and many other humanitarian and operational duties that a life in the Naval Service involves. We are very proud that these fine young people have adopted Pulmonary Hypertension as their charity of choice this year as they work towards graduation…… [read more]

World Pulmonary Hypertension Day 2017

In order to mark World PH Day 2017 the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Ireland issued the following press release:

Pulmonary Hypertension – A devastating disease

Most of us take breathing for granted. Persons living with Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) do not. PH is caused by many different conditions but can occasionally occur for no known reason with no obvious cause.

PH is much more common in young adults and is approximately twice as common in women as in men.

Read More……….

 

The Sun Shines on PH Awareness 2016

 

The weather provided the perfect support to our Viking Splash Tour of Dublin to raise awareness of Pulmonary Hypertension for World PH Day 2016. PH awareness was the clear winner when we got off to a great start by being seen off by 4 winners! Cian O’ Sullivan, Jonny Cooper, John Small and Michael Fitzsimons of the All Ireland and National Football League winning Senior Dublin GAA squad arrived to see us off and we are very grateful for their time and efforts in raising the profile of Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness. We also want to extend our gratitude to Dublin West TD Jack Chambers for his generous support on the day. See more images of the day here.

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World PH Day 2015 – Riverdance get breathless for PH

 

May 5th 2015 was World PH Day and the world renowned dance troupe Riverdance stepped forward to support our Pulmonary Hypertension awareness campaign.

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At the event for the media, Regina Prendeville, Project Manager PHA Ireland, commented “It is a dreadful devastating disease and we are trying to raise awareness of this. Our theme is get breathless for PH and we’re asking able bodied people to get breathless for pulmonary hypertension because people with this disorder are breathless all the time. We all know that Riverdance get very breathless throughout the course of their show and they have done that here today by posing for the media which we hope will raise awareness for this terrible disease”. See more images of the event at this link. 

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Tánaiste supports Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness

Tánaiste Joan Burton (Irish Deputy Prime minister) was among several hundred people who gave their time to support the Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness day on Sunday September 28th along with patients, their families and supporters and many more who came to lend a hand to make it a day to remember. Unfortunately we narrowly missed beating the world record for the longest kissing chain but our disappointment was quickly mitigated by the atmosphere and enthusiasm of those who participated. Just as the chain was forming there were a few drops of rain but the sunshine atmosphere of the crowd dispersed that rapidly. People power was to the fore as you can clearly see from this spectacular overhead view!

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We’d like to thank everybody who gave of their time and those who couldn’t attend but supported from afar by spreading the word about the event. Our sincere thanks to St. Brigid’s GAA club for the use of their facilities and support on the day.

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Pictured is Tánaiste Joan Burton as she is kissed by her husband Pat Carroll at the kissing chain event. We’ll be sharing many more images of the event but for now visit our Flickr Page to see the first images released that give a great feel for the fun event it was.

Tour d’Irlande East

A new Cath Laboratory is urgently needed say the Heart and Lung teams at the Mater Hospital. So they are taking to the road from the 24th to the 27th of May, cycling 500km over four days, in order to raise funds for the urgently needed Cath Laboratory, which will transform the life of patients with heart disease and especially those suffering from Pulmonary Hypertension.

Professor Declan Sugrue, cycle leader said “Our aim is to raise €100k for the third urgently needed Cath Laboratory at the Mater. “We are currently seeing over 6,000 patients each year so therefore having another lab will mean improved access and a better service to our patients”. Read more here.

2014 Patient and Family Meeting

The 2014 annual Patient and Family Meeting took place on the 10th May at the Gibson Hotel, Point Village, Dublin. Download the programme for the day here. We were delighted by the support  from the large number of delegates that attended and the feedback we have received was that the event was a very valuable and informative experience for the attendees. Follow this link to see photos of the presenters and delegates who were present.

2013 was a very important year for Pulmonary Hypertension

… 2014 will be even more important

In the 2014 PHA Ireland Newsletter Prof. Sean Gaine, Head of the National Pulmonary Hypertension Unit writes about both the achievements of 2013 and what 2014 has  in store for Pulmonary Hypertension Ireland. Read a short extract of his article here or download the full newsletter at the link beneath the extract.

Prof Gaine writes: The year started with the World Symposium on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Nice, France in February 2013. At the World Symposium the classification of the different types of Pulmonary Hypertension was updated and a new treatment algorithm was proposed. Also new targets were suggested for scientific research to develop treatments for the future. The final report from the meeting was published in December and will be the roadmap for the next 5 years. Furthermore 2013 saw two new drugs approved for treatment. While these drugs are not yet available they are going through the approval process and should be in use in 2014.

There were important developments in Pulmonary Hypertension in Ireland during 2013…… read the full article by downloading it here

Get Breathless for Pulmonary Hypertension 

2013 Campaign

 

The last few months have seen a series of events to support the Get Breathless for Pulmonary Hypertension campaign and World PH Day which occurred on May 5th this year and was marked by Pulmonary Hypertension organisations and their supporters across the world. We are very grateful to our stars of the sports world (Irish Ladies Grand Slam winning team) and the Arts (members of the Riverdance dance troupe) and our many dedicated volunteers and supporters who undertook events to show support for our 2013 campaign and raise much needed funds. We thank all for their generosity in both time and contributions. Take a look down this page and at the PH News and Updates (left hand column) to see the efforts people have put in to make Get Breathless for Pulmonary Hypertension our most successful campaign so far!

Getting Breathless against the breath taking backdrop of Valentia Island

Leo Houlihan and his team took part in the Templenoe Regatta, Valentia Island and in stunning surroundings came first in the Seine boat race. Wearing our T-shirts they stand proud and strong as they prepare to train for the event. Read more here.

Valentia Island Regatta

Riverdance ladies support ‘Get Breathless for PH’

Susan Ginnety Sheridan, Zara Curtis, Maeve O’ Donnell, Catherine Collins and Catherine O’Brien of Riverdance took time out from a very important weekend for Maeve to show their support for the ‘Get Breathless for PH’ campaign. Read more about their support here.

Get Breathless for Pulmonary Hypertension Launch

Our sincere thanks to  Ailis Egan, Nora Stapleton, Fiona Coghlan, Shannon Houston and Jenny Murphy, members of the  Irish Ladies Rugby Team Champions  (winners of the Grand Slam & 6 Nations Championship) who were happy to get breathless when they launched the ‘Get Breathless for Pulmonary Hypertension’ campaign at the Old Wesley training grounds.

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The ladies are wearing and displaying the ‘Get Breathless for Pulmonary Hypertension’ T-shirt, illustrating the theme design for World PH day and the overall campaign.

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Read more here about the “Get Breathless for PH” campaign,  World PH Day 5th May and how you can access t-shirts, sponsorship cards and posters for any event you may wish to organise to support the campaign.

The 2013 Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium

The 2013 PH Symposium took place at the Grand Hotel, Malahide on Saturday the 27th April. See the details of the programme for the event here. Nearly 100 delegates from all over Ireland attended to make for a very successful event. Read an article describing the day’s proceedings here detailing the presentations and the Q and A sessions with the speakers and delegates.